Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program Status for Alaska: Streams and Wadeable Rivers
State Program Contact
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Water Quality Standards
WQS Information
The link to Alaska's WQS that are in effect for Clean Water Act purposes is provided. These are the WQS approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The state of Alaska provided information and links to sections of their administrative code on designated aquatic life use, biological criteria, antidegradation as well as technical support documents and information on its bioassessment and biocriteria programs. These are included for your convenience and may or may not reflect the most recently EPA-approved WQS.
Designated Aquatic Life Uses
Growth and Propagation of Fish, Shellfish, Other Aquatic Life, and Wildlife.
Biological Criteria
- _____ Narrative
- _____ Numeric
- __X__ No criteria
Antidegradation Policy
Use of biocriteria or bioassessment not included in antidegradation policy.
Biological Assessment
What biological assemblages are used in the bioassessment program?
Benthic macroinvertebrates and periphyton
Are bioassessments used to support 303(d) listings?
No.
How are assemblages used to make impairment decisions?
Not used.
Other uses of biocriteria or bioassessment within the water quality program:
Non-point source assessments and 305(b) surface water condition assessments
Technical Support Information and Documents
Reference condition
Alaska currently uses biological information to compliment water chemistry data. Alaska employs a Macroinvertebrate Biological Assessment Index developed by the University of Alaska Environmental and Natural Resources Institute (now the University of Alaska Anchorage - Alaska Center for Conservation Science) in certain cases.
Biocriteria
Not applicable.
Stressor identification/causal analysis approach
Not applicable.